Mrs. Glenn A. Rogers, 1st grade teacher
aka Irma Elizabeth (Fewell) Rogers
A 1988 Walla Walla Newspaper article about her stated “Mrs. Rogers called the photograph of a class of first-graders “my little treasures.” Teaching at Sharpstein School from 1951 to 1969 she estimates she taught nearly 600 pupils. To celebrate her 80th birthday her family encouraged former students to send a greeting and with a newspaper article, many responded!
1951-52
ANDERSON, PAUL
BARRITT, LINDA
BENZEL, SHARON
BERREY, PATSY
BROTHERTON, DONNA
CLAIR, CAROL
FOGARTY, MICHAEL
GIABINSKI, PATTY
HANSEN, KENNETH
ISITT, CAROLE JEAN
JONES, KERRY
KELLOUGH, MELODY
KELLY, FRANK
KRUMMEL, CAROL
LASATER, GARLAND
LIGHTLE, ROY
LIVENGOOD, JIMMY
LUSK, RICKEY
MCDONALD, JACK
MERTENS, JERRY
RANKIN, TIMMY
SALTMARSH, JUDY
SAXON, RONALD
VERNER, KAREN
WILKINSON, STEPHEN
Irma was born in 1908 to Coy & Ethel FEWELL at Turlock, Stanislaus, California. She had a brother Russell. She graduated from Livingston High School in 1925. She attended Lodi Academy and Normal School at Lodi, CA. She was inspired to be a teacher by her own first grade teacher Harriet Sanford whom she never forgot.
Her teaching career began in 1928 when she taught at Woodland School. She was 20 years old. Her first classroom hosted 16 children and covered “all grades.”
Her next position was at Turlock School. She taught in a 2 room school.
On 30 Aug 1931 she married Glenn Arthur Rogers at Turlock, Stanislaus, California. Irma was 23.
The Fresno Bee (Fresno, CA) 06 Sep 1931, Sun, p. 17.
In 1934 she lived in Cressey, CA and she turned her attention to motherhood when her children started school she resumed teaching. Teaching at Merced while also attended Pacific Union College at Angwin, CA, always learning.
In 1947 they moved to the Idaho and taught for the Caldwell school. Irma and Glenn taught there for 2 years.
1948 brought a move to Yakima, Washington where she taught grades 1-4 at Brookside School. Her husband, Glenn taught 5-8th grades.
In 1949 they moved to Walla Walla. She received her Masters’ Degree in Education, with a minor in Geology at Walla Walla College.
1951 began teaching at Sharpstein Elementary. A substitute at first but soon she was asked to take a First Grade Class. She continued there for 18 years. In 1969 she retired from Sharpstein Elementary.
After 44 years of teaching she received Letters of Appreciation from Del G. Peterson, Superintendent of Walla Walla Public Schools, Allen Reynolds, Asst. Superintendent and Peter P. Muirhead, Acting US Commissioner of Education.
At retirement she and her husband travelled extensively. Visiting many of the historical places she enjoyed every stop. At home she had a room she lovingly called the “Den.” It contained her family history books, supplies and a typewriter. Others were not welcome in her ‘Place’ without being invited. It was full of three ring binders, her genealogy correspondence and the Genealogy Helper Magazines which she had highlighted and made notes in.
She was a member and officer of the Colonial Dames. She was a member of Daughters of the American Revolution.
She died in 1992 but she continues to inspire my research. Were you a student in Mrs. Glenn Rogers’ class? Do you remember your first grade teacher?
Geneographer 